Reprogramming Timișoara: How the Covid-19 Pandemic Influences the Course of a European Capital of Culture

The Covid-19 pandemic significantly influenced the cultural sector, and in the case of the European Capitals of Culture programme this meant postponing the future titles. For Timișoara (Romania) this meant a two-year period to rethink its programme, from 2021 to 2023. This study follows the process of the programme reconfiguration from the perspective of audiences, entrepreneurship and transition economies. The research focuses on the outlooks of the local cultural operators regarding the future of the title, thus including them as well in the discussion on how the title should adapt to the 2023 perspective. Through observation and semi-structured interviews, the research demonstrates that in the context of the pandemic, the events need to be rescaled, that predictability and stability are key, and that collaboration and networking are paramount to the success of the title.